K Sudhakar.
Credit: PTI Photo
A 33-year-old contract driver of Chikkaballapur zilla panchayat chief accounts officer ended his life allegedly by hanging from a tree on the premises of the deputy commissioner’s office here on Thursday.
According to police, the deceased, Babu, has left behind a suicide note in which he has named BJP MP K Sudhakar and two others, alleging that they were responsible for his death.
Babu wrote in the purported suicide note that Sudhakar’s supporter Nagesh of Chikkakadigenahalli and ZP accounts assistant Manjunath had cheated him of Rs 35 lakh promising him to secure a government job using MP’s influence.
“On January 15, 2021, the duo - Nagesh and Manjunath - told me that they had spoken to the MP and that he would secure me a job for Rs 40 lakh. They asked for Rs 25 lakh on an immediate basis. I had Rs 15 lakh and borrowed Rs 10 lakh and gave it to them. I have given them Rs 35 lakh in total,” Babu alleged in the purported suicide note.
According to the police, Babu had worked as a contract driver for seven years and only six months back he was assigned to the chief accounts officer.
Superintendent of Police Kushal Chouksey said a suicide note was recovered from the scene. The note mentions several names and we are verifying the allegations and probing the case from all angles.
The preliminary inquiry revealed that Babu left home with the official vehicle and was scheduled to drive an officer to a meeting.
A senior police officer said that the suicide note has named MP Sudhakar, Manjunath and Nagesh. “Since the allegations are serious, a thorough investigation will ascertain if the MP was involved in it or if his name is being misused,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, the Congress workers staged a protest at Shidlaghatta Circle and raised slogans against the MP. On the other hand, the BJP leaders, in a press meet, said, “Deceased Babu’s wife, following the pressure by the Congress leaders, named BJP MP Sudhakar in the complaint.” They demanded the police to drop Sudhakar’s name from the FIR, failing which they will launch a protest.
Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar, who is in charge of the Chikkaballapur district, said the government would ensure an “impartial” probe into the case. “BJP leaders will have to speak up about this if they really have any concern for Scheduled Castes,” he said.